Thanks for coming!

Benton County Republicans is a non-profit organization based in Benton County, Minnesota. Our goal is to educate the people of Benton County and the State of Minnesota on conservative principles and to advocate the Republican Party's philosophy and initiatives while empowering men and women of all ages, ethnicity and backgrounds in the political process. Join us as we share ideas, form friendships and help good, conservative candidates get elected through volunteer work and political activism.

Section 1Promote Economic ProsperityWe support lowering the tax burden, exercising spending restraint, and creating and maintaining a fair, honest and competitive business environment to promote economic prosperity and once again make Minnesota the economic engine of the Upper Midwest.

Lower Tax Burden on Families and Businesses Republicans support comprehensive tax reform and re-prioritization of government spending. We support abolishing the current tax code and replacing it with a simpler, fairer tax system that favors a national sales tax or flat tax. Republicans also support a simplification of the state property tax system. Republicans support limiting the ability of Congress and the Legislature to use tax increases as the first solution to every problem by requiring a super-majority vote in Congress or the Minnesota Legislature to enact such increases. We support a state constitutional amendment limiting growth in state spending to inflation plus population growth. Any surpluses should be returned to the taxpayers in proportion to the taxes paid. We support repeal of the “Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment.” Republicans seek to reduce the current burden of taxation by cutting or eliminating capital gains taxes, taxes on marriage, sickness, death, inheritance, Social Security and veterans’ benefits and pensions. This would also include the onerous Alternative Minimum Tax. Republicans also support keeping internet sales and access free of taxation. Purchases by local government should be exempt from Minnesota state sales tax. We support phasing out of Social Security while allowing Americans the flexibility of investing their Social Security payments while continuing to fulfill our obligation to older Americans (this would include prohibiting Congress from using Social Security funds for any other purpose). Republicans advocate maintaining a sound and stable, backed currency.Exercise Spending RestraintAt the federal level, we support adopting a United States Constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget and reduction of the national debt. At the state level, we support limiting proposed spending for a new biennium to no more than the actual receipts from the previous biennium’s revenue collections. Zero-based budgeting should replace baseline budgeting for state and federal budgets. We should dedicate all taxes, fees, and licenses from their revenue streams to their appropriate program funding. Tax revenue from gas and motor vehicle taxes should not fund commuter rail and light rail construction and operation. Programs, such as public broadcasting, sports stadiums and the arts, should be funded by its users and voluntary donors, and not subsidized by the use of taxpayer money. Similarly, specific projects should not be funded through the use of ‘earmarks’ in appropriations and other bills. Public employee retirement fund deficits should not be funded by taxes, fees, or by borrowing from the public. No mandate can be imposed by any branch of government on any other unless it includes the funds necessary to support that mandate. We shouldrepeal state and federal legislation that imposes mandated wage rates on government and school district projects. Before any new government program is initiated, the program’s purpose, cost and estimated completion date must be established. There must also be ways of measuring program performance and procedures to dismantle in the case that the program does not meet expectations. We support the abolition of the Federal Reserve and requiring annual audits of the Federal Reserve in strict compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP).Create and Maintain a Fair, Honest and Competitive Business Environment We support a fair, honest and competitive business environment, and, therefore, oppose corporate welfare. Non-union contractors to government and school district projects should be granted equal access to projects without mandating that they sign project labor agreements. Government-mandated employee benefits should be abolished, allowing small businesses to assemble and pool assets for the purpose of funding employee health care insurance programs. We reject the Keynesian model of economics and believe it has no place in federal policy.